Folding table and bench



June 30, 1931. c, w, HORTON 1,812,483

FOLDING TABLE AND BENCH Filed Sept. 26, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet l )nuenTorCharles W HorToh E5- Mm mm Aiiomg;

C. W. HORTON FOLDING TABLE AND BENCH 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 30, 1931.

Filed Sept. 26, 1927 IIIUGI'ITOI' Charles W Hem-Ton Ma rbaa.

Affomelg June 30, 1931. c. w. HORTON FOLDING TABLE AND BENCH Filed Sept.26 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet ljgenTor Charles. \J. Horton IIIIIIIIIIIIIMPatented June 30, 1931 warren srai CH ARLES W. HORTGN, GRAIFD EAFZBS,MICHIGAN, ASSIGI-l'fll't, BY MESNE ASSIGN i -MENTS, 'IO J H1? E. STRONG,OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN FOLDING: TABLE AND BENCH This inventionrelates to a folding table with seats combined therewith and is moreparticularly concerned with various improvements to be used inconnection with the combined folding table and seats invented by John E.Strong having Patent No. 1,646,939, issued October 25, 1927.

It is an object and purpose of the present invention to provide amounting for the fold- 1- ing table or the same with seats combinedtherewith so that the same may be received in a wall recess or pocket,or may be mounted upon the inner side of a door which closes a a closet,provision being made for the elevation of the inner support for thetable and seats when the same are folded to collapsed position, therebylifting the same above the usual bottom board at the lower end of suchwall recessor closet, but automatically lowering the same so as'to restupon the floor when in operative position. This insures a ready foldingof the combined table and seats irrespective of rugs or other floorcoverings which may be used and which, if provision was not made for theautomatic elevation described,

would interfere with the folding of the structure into collapsedposition.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple means foreffecting this automa-tic elevation and lowering with the folding andunfolding movements of the table and to'associate therewith acounterbalance spring which will insure against accidental dropping ofthe table to its lower horizontal position when it has been turnedupwardly to folded and retracted position.

. A still further object of the invention is to provide a constructionwhereby the table and the seats in conjunction therewith may be foldedinto a wall recess or closet so as to be entirely received therein, whenin inoperative position yet in which the seats, when in use,

' Y are located entirely outside of said recess, use

being made of offset hinges in connecting the seat supports to the tablesupports for this purpose.

Various other objects and purposes will appear on understanding of theinvention had as from the following descriptiontaken in connection withthe accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view, partly broken away and shown in section,illustrating the combined table and seats in their outer operativeposition, the same being shown in conjunction with a wall receivingpocket therefor.

2 is a similar perspective view of the table'folded into said pocket andwith one of the seats folded against the underside of the table andwithin the recess, the other being in unfolded position. i

' Fig. 3 is a vertical section enlarged through the construction withthe table in its folded retracted position.

Fig. 4 is a similar section showing the table and seats in outerunfolded operative position.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical section similar to that shown.in Fig. 4, but illustrating the mechanism in greater detail.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section throughthe construction shown in theposition that it has in Fig. 2. I i

Fig. 7 is a section similar to that shown in Fig. 6 with the table andseats in outer operative horizontal position, and, i

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary front elevation, the

table and one of the seats being shown in transverse vertical sectionillustrating the rear table support and the manner in which it ismounted for vertical adjustment.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different figuresof the drawings.

The wall recess or pocket in which the table and seats are folded may beconveniently provided between vertical studding l, which make thevertical sides of the pocket,

there being a back 2, an'upper end 3 and right angles so as to bearagainst the inner sides ofthe studding 1 to which they are per manentlysecured by means of screws. One

of the bars 6, as shown inrFig. 3, is located a short distance above thebottom 1, while the other bar 6 is considerably higher. Each of the bars6 are provided near each end with a V forwardly extending headed'pin 8.The upper bard atitsupper portion and on its front side is also formedwith'two forwardly extending lugs 9, one adjacent each end of the bar.we

The rear support for the table comprises a frame of 'rectangular shapeincluding upper and wer ra ls 10 nd 1 resp i ely, connected at theirends by vertical sides 12.

Two angle members 18 are secured to each of'tfhe railslO and 11respectively; The upper angles 13 have horizontal legs passed under eathhe upper M which 'en upwardly and lie again t the fr f e of theupper bar6. The lower angle plates 18 horizontal legsext ndi g Over th pp zedgeofthe lower rail'll and vertical legs which extend downwardly and lieagainst the,

front side of the low rb r'fi- Th is fully shown "in Fig- 8; Thehorizontal legs of the angle mem er-S7 13 arefformed i h. ve i slots :14t rough Whi h the headed pi s-8 p s 1 It is evident, therefore,that theinner or rear support for the t ble i moun ed upon-the (bars fi oithatit may have l mit d vertic sliding movementwithin the limits prescribedby theislots 1, and the eaded p ns Spa- S g -he e hrough Thetahle-15,ofa width was received between the sides of the wall pocket or recess,

edge 'of'the' upper rail 10 of 'the rear support s i may he turned t aver i al position,

a horizontal position as showninjlligskl A leen 15, is hingedly oormec el t it 1 P r end'. 9. the unde side; of the t ble tov fihsfll ifir'endlqf S id fiable. From the lan ' IT-9 he teale115 two lugs .17 extendlying in the-same verticalplane with and irectly. above the, lugs 9 p evously d scr b V Whenth ta le 1 1 s turned-from l l r zo talposition, shoi Eigs. 44 and 5, to the radi a position, sho n in F g -,2 nd ;,cth

' lug rfl r d aga nst h -uppe e s, o h lugs 9 anc cause a lift ng f teinn r supporting frame comprising par s .19., "11 and '12,;so that itand anything .connectedthere- .v with is lifted a limited distance,but-:wihen thetable is :turned downwardly to horizontal position, thelugs 17-"also' being turned to horizontalposition, theltaiblefanc l thissupport-therefor drop downwardly-undep the infiuence' of their weightoruntil the lower endo-f said support-either engages with the iiurre sider t boa e ril -real: e -t surports (as are later descrihedfeng'ageagainst "turned to vertical position act to maintain and hold the tablein such position against acoidental dropping down and also has someeffect in rendering upward movement of the table easier. 7 I

T he supporting'legs 16 at its lower end has oppositely projecting feet20. One leaf of a hinge 21 is-rigidly secured to the outer end of eachof said feet 20. Similarly one leaf of each of two hinges 21 isrigidlysecured to the outeredge of each of the sides '12 of the inner or rearsupport for the table. A rear seat sup-porting member 22 is connected tothe other leaves of the pair of hinges 21 attached to said sides 12. Anouter seat sup-porting member 23- is connected "at its lower end to theother leaf of each of the front hinges 21, as best shown in Fig. 1. Theleaves of the hinges 21, which are connected to the feet-20, 'and tothesides112, as described, are longer 'than the leaves which are conneetedto the seat supports 22 "and 23,. A seat 24-ishingedly connected to theupper end of ea'c-h'pairof seat supports 22 and 28, thelseats beingconnected adjacent their inner ends to the seat F supports 22 andadjacent their outerends to the supports 23. As illustrated there aretwo of theseats 241', one on each side of the table,

but it is evident that the invention is operative should one of theseats, itssupports and their 2 connecting hinges the removed.

As thus constru' ted, the table may occupy a horizontal'position, asshown'in Figs. 1, 4 and 5, the seats occupying a lower horizontalposition at each side of the table. The inner seat supporting members 22are turned outwardly from the inner table support and lie outside of therecess or wall pocketin front of the sides of the border '5. The lowerends of said supports 22 rest on the floor. This-is e 7 possibleby'reason of the ofiset of the seat supporting members 22 from thesupport for the inner end of the table on account of the hinges used,permitting the inner table support to remain within the wall pocket orre .cess while j the seat sup-porting members 22 are located outsidethereof. I

7 When the table with its seats is to befolded I within th recess orpocket the table is gripped at its outer end and turned upwardly. As

this-occurs, as previouslyd scribed, the l F151.

17mg upon the upper edges of the lugs9, elevating e n e MMQSMPPOW and,asthe se t suppor ing m ber 2. are c nnected the et a o eleva ing th mso; tha the, sea supporting members 22 v are lifted from the positionshown in Fig. 5, where they rest upon the floor, to a position above theupper side of the board 4. By reason of the connection of the leg 16with the outer seat supporting members 23 the seats are also turned tovertical position simultaneously with the movement of the table tovertical position, so

that the seats and their supports at the end of the first movement offolding and retracting the same are like as shown at the left in Fig. 2.Each seat 24 with its supports may then be turned inwardly to comeagainst the under side of the table as shown at the right in Fig. 2, andby reason of the elevation of the lower ends of the seat supportingmembers 22 above the board 4 of the wall pocket or recess the inwardfolding may be readily and easily accomplished. Also by reason of thedifference in length of the hinge members making up the hinges 21 theseats and supports may be readily inwardly folded, this being bestillustrated at the upper end of Fig. 6.

While the invention has been illustrated in connection with a Wallpocket or recess, it is evident that it may be used for mounting thetable and seats upon the rear side of a closet door. The mounting of thetableupon the rear side of the door will be substantially identical withthe mounting of the same in the closet. That is, it will be mounted onthe door to have a limited vertical movement whereby the inner supportfor the table and the inner or rear seat supports attached thereto areelevated when the table and seats are folded against the door, thusproviding the necessary elevation of the same above the usual bottomboard for a wall recess or closet so that the door may be readily closedand also taking care of the possibility of rugs being located on thefloor over which the door and the table and seats attached thereto mustswing when the door is opened. The invention is no different in itsconstruction and the purposes which it has when mounted either in a wallpocket or recess, as illustrated, or on the inner side of a closet door.

This invention is very practical and has provedespecially useful inservice. The wall recess or pocket in many respects simulates a wallpanel and the room presents a balanced and effective appearance when thetable and seats are folded into the pocket substantially filling thesame. The unfolding and lowering of the table and seats to loweredposition is very simple, requiring merely that the upper end of thetable be grasped, drawn outwardly and turned to lower position after theseats have been turned outwardly.

The invention is defined in the appended claims and is to be consideredcomprehensive of all forms of structure coming within their scope.

I claim:

1. In combination, a vertical support, a table supporting member, meansfor mounting said table supporting member on said vertical support forlimited vertical movement, a table having hinged connection adjacent oneend to said member for swinging movement about a horizontal axis, a leghinged to the under side of said table toward its other end, meansprojecting rearwardly from the hinged end of said table and means onsaid vertical support cooperating therewith When the table-is swung fromvertical to horizontal position to permit lowering of said tablesupporting member and when the table is swung from horizontal tovertical position to elevate said supporting member.

2. In combination, a vertical support, a table supporting member, meansfor mount-- ing said table supporting member on said vertical supportfor limited vertical movements, a table hinged at one end to said memberfor swinging movements from horizontal to vertical position and viceversa, a leg hinged to the under side of the table for su porting theouter end thereof when the tab e is in horizontal posit-ion, lugsextending horizontally toward said vertical support from the inner endof the table and cooperating lugs extending outward from said supportfor engagement by the first mentioned lugs, and acting to elevate thetable supporting member when the table is swung from horizontal tovertical position.

3. A construction containing the elements in combination defined inclaim 2, combined with coiled springs attached at one end to said lugson the table and extending back of and attached to said table supportingmember at their opposite ends, substantially as described.

4. In combination, a vertical support, two horizontal bars attached tosaid support one above the other, the uppermost of said bars having lugsprojecting forwardly therefrom, a table supporting member locatedimmediately in front of said bars, means for mounting said tablesupporting member on said bars for limited vertical movements, a tablehinged adjacent its inner end to said table supporting member to swingon a horizontal axis, lugs projecting from the inner end of the tableand lying directly over the lugs on said upper horizontal bar, wherebyon movement of the table from horizontal to vertical position said lugson the table bear against said lugs on the bar and automatically elevatethe table supporting member a short distance, and means for supportingthe outer end of the table when it is turned to horizontal position.

5. A construction containing the elements in combination defined inclaim 4, combined with coiled springs attached one to each of the lugsextending from the table, said springs extending downwardly back of thetable sup porting member, and means connecting said springsnt theirlower. ends to saiditable Sup porting member.

V In. ico nblna tiong a VGItiCal support, two horizontal bars securedtosaid support,- one spaced at distance above the/ 01311811, headed pins.extendi ng forwardly "from said bars, a table supporting member lo catedimmediately in front of the bars, angle plates attached.

tothe-table supporting member, each having id 21; vert-ical leg with a,Vertical slot out therethrough, "said headed .pins passing through saidslots, antab'le hinged adjacent its inner end: to the, table supportingmember'to swing from, vertical to a horizontal positionfand vic'eversa,andeooperating means at the inner end. O-f said table andion theuppermost of said horizontal bars aptingto automatically elevate thetable supporting member when thetable is swung from horizontal tovertical P siti n; t i

'In testimony whereof 'I' affix my signatnre.

CHARLES W. HORTON.

